Tuesday, April 27, 2010

OK listen up my fellow Canadians. I have FIVE copies of a very hot item for giveaway that many of you have been eagerly anticipating - Lover Mine by J.R. Ward. As always, many thanks to the fabulous folks at Penguin Canada for the promotion. I read Lover Mine a week or so ago and it was one of the best of the series to date. John Matthew and Xhex. Rowr.

To enter just tell me who your favourite Brother and/or couple are. Remember you must have a Canadian address to send to. Leave a way to contact you and do the usual blogging thing for an extra entry. Giveaway closes May 10 at Midnight EDT. Here's some extra details about the book, but I am guessing you know this stuff already.

The latest in the #1 New York Times-bestselling series…

Lover MINE

A Novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood

“…the fast pace and cliffhanger ending will have fans wishing they could start the next book right away."—Publishers Weekly on Lover Avenged

J.R. Ward has skyrocketed to the top of the paranormal romance genre with her smart and wickedly sexy twist on vampire fiction, her novels of The Black Dagger Brotherhood. Indeed, her gritty tales of a modern-day war between vampires and their hunters, told through the eyes of the battle-hardened, super-human, vampire warriors of the Brotherhood, have not only gained Ward a dedicated legion of fans, but have propelled her to the top of TheNew York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists.

Last year J.R. Ward made her hardcover debut with Lover Avenged, which landed at #2 on the New York Times bestseller list. Now she continues the series with LOVER MINE (New American Library; May 1, 2010; $32.50).

LOVER MINE is the book that Ward’s readers have been waiting for! The story centers on John Matthew, once a scrawny teenager living on his own and just trying to survive, his true vampire nature has since been revealed and he’s grown into a powerful warrior—a member of The Brotherhood. Now John Matthew and the rest of the Brothers will learn even more about his true history and identity. At the same time, Xhex, the tough-as-nails head of security at the Sub Zero nightclub is discovering some things about herself too. She’s had an attraction to John Matthew since she spotted him drinking with friends at the club a while back—an attraction that she’s gone to great lengths to ignore. But fate has other plans for Xhex and the time has come for her to find love.

LOVER MINE is the eighth installment in a series that Publishers Weekly calls “frighteningly addictive” and Booklist called “raw, gritty…genre-bending.” Fans of paranormal romance as well as anyone who enjoys a good story with a supernatural twist will not want to miss out on the latest from J.R. Ward!

“…these erotic paranormals are well worth it, and frighteningly addictive…The book is fully committed to its urban sensibility, the vampires' rarified language (a glossary is provided) and their revved-up sex drives, and it all works to great, page-turning effect …In just two years, the first three books in the series have earned Ward an Anne Rice-style following, deservedly so; this entry should prove no less popular.” —Publishers Weekly on Lover Revealed

“Ward wields a commanding voice perfect for the genre, and readers new to the world of the Black Dagger Brotherhood should hold on tight for an intriguing, adrenaline-pumping ride featuring a race of warrior vampires who fill enemies with terror and women with desire. Like any good thrill ride, the pace changes with a tender story of survival and hope and leaves readers begging for more.” —Booklist on Lover Eternal

“Not for the faint of heart…this genre-bending third novel in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, following Lover Eternal (2006), is a perfect fit for those who like fast-paced urban fantasy rich in both fury and poignancy.” —Booklist « starred review on Lover Awakened

J.R. Ward is a graduate of Smith College who currentlylives in Kentucky. Before turning to writing full time, she worked as a lawyer in Boston and also spent many years working as Chief of Staff of one of the premier academic medical centers in the nation. In addition to the Black Dagger Brotherhood series she launched another series, The Fallen Angels with Covet in October 2009. Visit her popular website and fan community at www.jrward.com.

Burned is the seventh book in the House of Night series by P.C. and Kristin Cast.... and it officially hit stores today. Watch the new book trailer and download the books theme song!

"Things have turned black at the House of Night. Zoey Redbird’s soul has shattered. With everything she’s ever stood for falling apart, and a broken heart making her want to stay in the Otherworld forever, Zoey’s fading fast. It’s seeming more and more doubtful that she will be able pull herself back together in time to rejoin her friends and set the world to rights. As the only living person who can reach her, Stark must find a way to get to her. But how? He will have to die to do so, the Vampire High Council stipulates. And then Zoey will give up for sure. There are only 7 days left… "

The New York Times-bestselling mother-daughter writing team of P.C. and Kristin Cast again prove why they have become a major force in teen fiction. With over 3 million copies of their books in print, a well-publicized film option, an updated interactive website, daily-growing fan base, the Cast duo will command your attention with every page turn.

Enter to win a signed pair of special edition sneakers and a signed copy of The White Cat. Canadian addresses only please.

Coming May 4, 2010

Cassel comes from a family of curse workers -- people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all mobsters, or con artists. Except for Cassel. He hasn't got the magic touch, so he's an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail -- he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago.

Ever since, Cassel has carefully built up a façade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his façade starts crumbling when he starts sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He's noticing other disturbing things, too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him, caught up in a mysterious plot. As Cassel begins to suspect he's part of a huge con game, he also wonders what really happened to Lila. Could she still be alive? To find that out, Cassel will have to out-con the con-men.

Holly Black has created a gripping tale of mobsters and dark magic where a single touch can bring love -- or death -- and your dreams might be more real than your memories.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Lisa Hurley our fabulous roving SFF reviewer recently completed a series of reviews here at SciFiGuy.ca of the first four books in the Riyria Revvelations fantasy series by Michael J. Sullivan, including the most recent, The Emerald Storm, which was released on April 8. Of the newest book Lisa said, "For fans or for newcomers to the Riyria Revelations, The Emerald Storm is a breathtaking read that manages to invoke the spirit of classic literature - from the Odyssey type journey of the Storm's crew, to the foreign jungles and violent trek that invoke images of Heart of Darkness."

Lisa recently conducted an in-depth review with Michael about the birth of the series and it's climb to success and popularity. Michael has generously offered a copy of a book from the series to a commenter, so check the Giveaway Guidelines at the end of the post for details. Michael will be dropping by to chat, so please take a moment to say hello and leave a comment or question.

Lisa:. So, Michael, where did the inspiration for the Riyria Revelations come from? Did Royce and Hadrian appear in a dream, threaten your life, and demand that you write down their story?

Back in the winter of 1989/90, my wife and I were living in a tiny place called Troy, Vermont, a small village near the Canadian border. We had only just moved there and this was our first full winter. Any winter in Vermont is challenging but we were also going through some tough times. We were living in a mobile home that cost less than our car. We still had our house in Michigan that wasn’t selling and that was going to prevent us from building our house in Vermont in the spring. Add to that the fact that the water pipes froze like clockwork each week, we were living on spaghetti and peanut butter and jelly, and the kerosene heater kept running out of fuel in the middle of the night and you can guess it wasn’t the best of times. Coydogs (wild packs of coyotes/dogs) swarmed the trailer at night, prompting me to get a rifle. And my wife had just given birth to our second daughter, so neither of us got much sleep.

I wrote of my growing depression to a friend back home in Michigan, Peter DeBrule (who incidentally the Emerald Storm is partially dedicated to) who in an effort to try and lift my spirits and distract my attention, wrote back with an idea for a “chain story.” He wasn’t a writer, but he knew I was trying to be one so he wrote a couple of paragraphs in which two unidentified men enter a medieval tavern. One was big, the other little, they were expecting friends and they took a table after persuading a surly local to move by buying him a pitcher of beer. That was pretty much it—only a couple paragraphs amounting to half a page of typing.

So then, I took up the story. I wrote maybe ten or twenty pages in which I made the big one a sword fighter and the other a thief and named them Hadrian Blackwater and Royce Melborn patterning them after the heroes from my first two books that I created more than a decade earlier when I was in high school.

With a third friend, Steve Gillick, who at that time was going to college in New Orleans, we collectively wrote, by way of snail-mail, perhaps fifty pages of a little story we entitled “Blades.” Pete and Steve, lost interest and the story was forgotten with only a third of it done, but I always liked Royce and Hadrian and that was the birth of the two characters, although they were not Riyria yet. That wouldn’t happen until nearly ten years later.

Lisa: What was the story Blades about?

Writing ad hoc as we did it was more like doing a literary version of improv. It was difficult to move the story in any consistent direction when the other two contributors were taking it other places and there was a week to a month delay as we waited for the mail. So it meandered a lot, but generally it was about Royce and Hadrian who were the leaders of a rag-tag band of adventurers forever struggling to explore and pillage the depths of a buried city called Kolmar, but always narrowly escaping with their lives. Blades was their last attempt to gather together their old team and go in again.

Lisa: Did any other characters get their start in Blades?

Actually, yes. Esrahaddon, who was Royce and Hadrian’s arch-nemesis was in Blades, only he was a decidedly more evil character. Arcadius was in it too, who was part of their team. There was even a Modina, only she was a countess and the wife of the Earl of Chadwick, and nothing like the Modina of the series. When I was trying to come up with a name for the empress I remembered her and it felt perfect. There were several characters that never made it to Riyria—at least not in total. One character named Berenger, was a favorite of my friend Steve’s so I deliberately left him out not wanting to step on his creation.

Lisa: What about the other characters? Was there a problem with you using them?

I had no problem using the rest of the cast as I invented and named them all—even Berenger, but Steve really built that character and made it his own. (He also built Wyatt and Elden, and did a great job with them too, but he made them too much a copy of Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, so in Riyria I took them a different way.) I had a habit of writing a lot more than the others and even going back and re-writing their segments to “fix” them. I remember that this irritated Pete, understandably so, and likely contributed to the death of the story. It was quickly becoming no longer a chain story with three contributors but instead, my story.

Lisa: So how did Blades become the Riyria Revelations?

Well, like I said, it was forgotten. The letters stopped coming so it just died, which is ironic as it was just about the time we all obtained the ability to email. For the next couple of years or so, they would talk about resurrecting the story, but it never happened, and I truly liked Royce and Hadrian. I knew these two guys, which was part of the problem with Blades. I hated it when Pete or Steve would make them do or say something I knew they wouldn’t. They were always in the back of my head and I wondered how, if I were to really sit down and rewrite the series, how would I do it. This is something I would think about while doing dishes or walking the dog. And I envisioned this scene where the two are climbing a tower of a castle to steal something only to discover too late it was a setup. I just thought that would make a great beginning to a story, but I was never going to write it, because I had given up writing.

I had spent ten years writing thirteen novels of nearly every genre. I studied the classics, the Pulitzer Prize winners, and the blockbuster novels. I sent out submissions daily to agents and publishers and after a decade had nothing to show for it but a wall plastered with rejections. Steve had graduated with his doctorate and had become a professor. Pete had moved on to a job at General Motors. All of my friends had careers, and I was like Linus waiting for the Great Pumpkin that was never coming. So when we left Vermont, I quit writing and looked for work as a commercial artist.

I was successful. In two years, I opened my own advertising agency. In three more, I had offices taking up a quarter of the eighth floor of a glass tower office building and clients like AT&T. I was so busy I never thought of writing. I didn’t even read. Then my daughter, who was at that time about thirteen, was having trouble in school with reading. She didn’t like it. In seeking a way to interest her in reading, I bought this book called Harry Potter, and being bored one day I picked it up. It was fun and reminded me of when I was thirteen and discovered Tolkien. It reminded me that reading books could be a blast, and that got me thinking about writing again.

At that same time, I was watching this show called Babylon 5, a sci-fi television series in which the creator, J. Michael Straczynski, created the show’s five-year story arc before the pilot aired. This allowed him to do fantastic things with the series. As a viewer I could look for clues and try and figure out where the story would go knowing it was indeed going somewhere fulfilling. I thought this was great. I thought this was the future of television. Then reality tv arrived and I stopped watching television altogether. Still I wondered, if I were a producer what would I do for a tv series? There were (are) tons of police/legal shows, medical shows, and sitcoms. What I rarely saw was westerns and period shows. Westerns had their heyday, but a good medieval fantasy had never been successfully realized. Usually they are silly attempts at comedy, or overly dramatic — amounting to the same thing. So I envisioned a medieval fantasy television series setup in the multi-layered plot that J. Michael Straczynski used, with episode plots, season plots and the long series plot. A story that was serious, but with some humor to make it believable. I decided I would use Royce and Hadrian as the stars and begin it with that scene of them climbing the tower. Of course, I wasn’t a television producer… too bad I thought.

Then it hit me. I could do the same… with books. I began thinking seriously about Royce and Hadrian. And that’s how the Riyria Revelations was born. Probably a longer answer than you wanted.

Lisa: Do Royce and/or Hadrian draw any parallels to people in your life, or perhaps yourself?

In order to make characters feel real, I draw on experience, so yes, Royce and Hadrian are both part of me—the glass half-full and the glass half-empty sides. There is a part of me that is chivalrous to a fault, and the other side that is practical to the point of cynicism. My wife insists that while she sees both in me, the dominate side is Royce. I am only five foot eight and have been slender and agile all my life so I think that also adds to it.

Lisa: The Riyria Revelations is a medieval fantasy. Is this the type of genre you yourself like to read? What is your favorite genre?

The first book I ever enjoyed reading was The Hobbit, and my all-time favorite novels have all been fantasy, but I outgrew the fantasy genre by the time I hit twenty. Of course, there is the problem of language here. What does the term “fantasy” mean in regards to literature? Technically, any book of fiction is a fantasy—as it is a made-up story. When I hit twenty, I started reading Stephen King. This is technically still fantasy, but I never thought of it that way. I also never considered him a horror writer, as strange as that may be because I read The Stand first which I don’t put in that classification. In fact, all the stories by him that I loved, I would never classify as horror. I then went on to Frank Herbert’s Dune, and Asimov’s Foundation. I also enjoyed Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged and Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath—interesting pairing, eh? The fact is, I have spent most of my adult life reading as a means of educating myself rather than for enjoyment, so I never hit on a favorite genre. It wasn’t until I read Rowling’s great series that I remember how much fun it could be. Nowadays, I am playing catch-up trying to read the works of other fantasy writers just so I don’t sound stupid when people ask me about my own genre.

Lisa: As one reads these books, we become drawn more and more to Royce and Hadrian, even though they’re not traditional “good guys”. Why do you think that is?

The short answer is: I planned it that way.

Royce and Hadrian are good guys, they just aren’t prince charmings. When I conceived the series I wanted to avoid the common pitfall of the stereotype fantasy story. You know what I mean: young boy destined for greatness, prophesied to defeat an evil but he has to go on a quest to find the one weapon to do it. There is always an ultimate evil for no other reason than because the author says so. And the good guys are saints. I didn’t want that. I also didn’t want to go the other way with the gritty anti-hero. I like books where I like the main characters. I won’t read books where I don’t. And I like the “bad guys” to be believable, not just “evil.”

So Royce and Hadrian are, at least on the surface, normal guys. They don’t have superpowers, they make mistakes and they have both led hard lives, but they don’t moan about it. That might be the thing right there. When you come to understand what these two have lived through, what awful lives they have led, you sympathize and like them all the more because they don’t complain, and still manage to have a sense of humor. That’s the kind of person people like—at least that’s the kind I do.

Lisa: Your writing is very polished. Did you have any formal training in creative writing? What advice do you have to up and coming writers in the fantasy /sci-fi genres?

Thanks for that. Not everyone is so kind in their assessment of my skills. No, I have no training at all. I’ve never had a class, and I’ve never read a book on writing. I never even did very well in English in school. When I graduated high school, I wanted to do two things, write books, or paint the cover art for books. I went to art school until my scholarship ran out, because I knew I could never be a writer. I was horrible at spelling and grammar. And no that’s not what editors are for. They help—oh yes they help—but you still have to know how to write a sentence.

Everything I know about writing is self-taught. It came from reading books I would never normally read, and studying them to see how the author did things. Then I wrote, and I wrote. I wrote whole novels start to finish, and edited them. I wrote one a year for more than a decade. I wrote in almost every genre and in totally different styles mimicking other writers. (Incidentally, this is the same way I taught myself to paint.) I’m not saying this is the best way, this is just the way I did it. And if you are following my story at all, you might realize I tend to do everything the hard way. I am reminded of the Muppet Movie when Gonzo said he was going to Bombay, India to break into motion pictures. Kermit asked why he didn’t come to Hollywood with them, to which Gonzo replied, “Sure, if you want to do it the easy way.”

Lisa: How is it that you are doing it the hard way?

Putting out a six book series, one every six months and bucking the gritty/urban/noir/steampunk trend with a throwback traditional fantasy story without any sex, and hardly any profanity is hard. Writing each novel as a complete story while maintaining a strong story arc is really hard. And doing it through a tiny independent publisher is sort of insane. To get as far as I have—to have you interested enough in my work to do this interview—is amazing as the only source of getting the word out about my books is from myself or my wife—or now from readers who are beginning to spread the word on their own. I wonder how well the books might be doing today if I were published through Tor or Random House, and if a couple of copies of my books were in most bookstores. Being published through little Ridan, I’m not even eligible to submit my work to many publications for review let alone awards. It reminds me of Count Pickering speaking to Hadrian, “But not being noble born, you aren’t allowed to enter a tournament.” I don’t even have a literary agent, although I did just acquire a foreign language rights agent.

Lisa: Why is that?

I’ve had a number of inquiries from France, Germany, Poland and even Random House of Spain asking about the foreign language rights. I never took them seriously but recently, three major publishers in the Czech Republic made offers. They actually sent contracts. I don’t know anything about this sort of thing so it was time to get an agent. There I was with an established book series that has good reviews and—considering my ability to market it—excellent sales, and contracts in hand for foreign rights, and still I had a hard time getting an agent. My wife sort of stumbled on the one we found, and I’m glad she did as she looks to be fantastic.

Lisa: What are your absolute top five favorite books, and why?

The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings series

The Harry Potter series

Watership Down

The Stand

Atlas Shrugged

These are in order, and the top four are the only books I classify as “ten’s.” What makes a ten for me is a book with characters I like, and I mean in the way that I would love to have them as real-life friends. They also have to have a setting that I would like either to visit or actually live in. And lastly they need to have a good strong plot that makes sense. These are the only books I’ve ever found that do that. Atlas Shrugged is a nine on my list and perhaps the only nine. A lot has been made about the ideology behind the book, but that’s not why I like it. I loved this book for its original mystery story, the writing style, and characters. I learned a great deal of how to write from studying this.

A real good litmus test for a good book—like a movie—is if I would read/watch it again. I almost never reread a book, but I have reread all of these. And I think the reason why is because the characters and setting are places and people I honestly enjoy spending time with. I like all sorts of other books. I find them interesting and entertaining, but I love visiting Hogwarts and having lunch with Ron, Harry and Hermione, or wandering through the lush fields of the Shire with Sam and Merry. And it would be exciting to help rebuild the world with Nick and Stu, or just sit in the tall green grass on the high downs with Hazel and Fiver and watch the sun rise on a perfect spring morning.

Lisa: I have to ask this, because I couldn’t stop thinking about it while I was reading Avempartha – there is a character named ‘Thrace’ who appears in this book – is this an homage to Battlestar Galactica’s Kara Thrace?

Sorry. I’ve never seen Battlestar Galactica. Well, no, I take that back, I did watch the pilot, but that was it and I don’t recall the character in question. I try to keep the names of those in a family to be similar. Alric and Arista for example, Theron and his son and daughter, Thad and Thrace were another. All of those were made up off the top of my head. The funny thing is, that when I do that, when I make up stuff like names on the fly as I write, I pause and think, shouldn’t I take some time to really think about this. What if what I write here becomes popular? What if decades later, there are movies and clubs and Broadway plays based on this and they are using this stupid name unduly burdened because it is now ingrained in the collective psyche of society. I thought that about Tur Del Fur—which is hard to say and sounds like the Swedish Muppet chef, but then I laugh at my own insanity wondering why I am spending so much time worrying about that which will never happen.

Lisa: The Emerald Storm is a really fun journey from start to finish. There is this underlying dark thread, though, as if some kind of conflict is brewing underneath all of these layers of plot. There are two more books that have yet to be released in the Riyria Revelations series – can you give us any hints as to what we can expect?

Ha-ha! So now we get to the meaning of this interview. This has all been a ploy to find out what happens next! The series is made up of what I call a very tightly knit weave of a plot. It is like an extremely intricate web of connecting threads. Almost everything in it connects to everything else, and often what appears to be unimportant, is the most important. For example, Avempartha might appear as an aside story. It sets up Nyphron Rising certainly, by getting story threads moving, but it is the bedrock foundation for the sixth book. As a result, it is hard to say a lot without giving too much away. By now, you know that there are unexpected twists in this tale, but the reality is that I saved most of the “revelations” for the last book. The funny thing is that when you finish the fifth book I suspect you will find that hard to believe.

Each story has been different. Different in tone, setting, plot, and outcome. The first two were almost typical fare, the first being nearly a Disney-like fairy tale plot and the second the standard village plagued by the beast scenario. Granted I put my own special twist on these, but you get the idea. The next two don’t fit standard molds at all.

The last two books, I have always thought where the best in the series. If you look at each novel in the series to date, you see the pattern of a build up to the climax that is the most exciting part of the story. If you realize that this whole series was constructed as a single story, you should understand that the last two books will comprise the climax of the series. And I do work hard to make the climax of my books satisfy the reader’s anticipation.

If you have read Storm, then you already should have a very good idea what to expect in Wintertide. The title should be ominous by now. If you have been reading closely you’ll know that many things are all focused on that upcoming holiday. It is the focal point, the confluence of the series. Everything will come down to that date and nothing will be the same after it. The world of Elan is about to change forever. It will be a big change and it will all begin on Wintertide.

Lisa: Are you working on any other short stories or novels? Will any of them take place in Elan? You know us fans are going to need something after the Riyria Revelations series ends.

You sound like my wife. She nearly cried at the end of the series and was depressed for weeks because there was no more to read. Royce and Hadrian have become her friends and she longs to go on more adventures with them. One day she looked at me and marveled, “You can make them come alive again whenever you want to…that’s not fair.”

There are a great many things I could still do with the series. I purposely left a single unanswered plot thread unexplained. It is exceptionally minor insofar as the series is concerned, and I am certain no reader will even be aware of its presence unless I were to point it out—that’s how insignificant it is. But it’s a thread that leads to a huge revelation about the series that I could, if I so chose, use to build a second series on. There are also the obvious additions such as Royce and Hadrian the Early Years. I could also do a trilogy concerning the fall of the First Empire and how Esrahaddon and Jerish save the Heir. And of course there is the vast epic tale of Novron himself. This could easily be another six book series if I ever fully fleshed it out.

But honestly, I never intended to be a sword and sorcery author. To me, it would be like being typecast as an actor. I have lots of other stories I hope to write. Only the fans of Riyria may not like them, as they will be very different; different genres, different styles. I will want to stretch myself, push my limits and see what else I can do.

I already have another novel ready to go, but it is a standalone literary fiction, a much more serious sort of thing written in a completely different style. After that, I will likely release Antithesis. This book I first wrote back in 1985 was originally entitled Wizards. It was the first novel I ever seriously tried to publish. It is a fantasy, but it is set in the modern day and it needs to be completely re-written. I have to take the original, which is the equivalent of a campy 1960’s tv series and turn it into the multi-million dollar, blockbuster, big screen adaptation. My daughter has been waiting on this one for a long time.

Lisa: Is there anything else you would like to share with your readers?

Yes. I would like to say, thank you.

I really mean it. As I already mentioned, I’m doing this the hard way and alone I don’t stand a chance. If it wasn’t for the Internet no one would know about this series. And while my wife has done an astounding job of getting the word out through forums and websites, she and I amount to two voices shouting in a very loud wilderness. My books do not greet you as you enter the local Barnes and Noble or Borders, and very few libraries carry it because I’ve never had a review in Publisher’s Weekly or the other publications they rely on.

Nevertheless, more and more people are buying the books. They’re even stealing them—posting PDFs and selling them to readers for the cost of memberships on sharing sites. I don’t so much mind the sharing, but I find the selling distasteful.

So how is it possible that these few unknown books, by an unknown author have done so well? How is it that I have been placed in the same category as Eddings and Feist, or more recently added to a list of names such as Patrick Rothfuss, Jim Butcher, and Joe Abercrombie? I mean, that’s just crazy. And how did my first book, Crown Conspiracy sell out its first printing? It is because readers have taken the time to tell a friend. It is the most effective marketing there is, and the one that no amount of money can buy. So yes, I’d like to say thank you to everyone who handed the book to a friend or family member and said, try this. Or who posted a review on a blog or Amazon, and to you Lisa, for this interview. Without you folks, the entire series would be sitting in a dusty cardboard box along with all the rest of my manuscripts. I owe you big time.

GIVEAWAY GUIDELINES:

Michael is offering a copy of a book from the Riyria Revelations series to one lucky commenter.

To enter, ask Michael about his writing or tell us about a favourite fantasy adventurer.

Open to US and Canada.

Leave a way to notify you if you should win.

Blog, tweet, post on Facebook or other social network sites for an extra entry. Leave a comment here to let me know.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

This past Thursday, erotic paranormal romance author Jessica Lee joined me to talk about her writing and newest release Dark Desires at Midnight. Jessica is offering a $10 Amazon e-gift card and an e-book copy of Dark Desires at Midnight to one lucky commenter in a giveaway.

A very busy week next week starting with an interview on Monday with author Michael J. Sullivan where he discusses the road to publication of his Riyria Revelations fantasy series and the release of The Emerald Storm.

On Wednesday, Jess Haines is my guest to talk about the launch of her debut urban fantasy novel Hunted by the Others.

And next Saturday paranormal fantasy author Leanna Renee Hieber'sHaunted London Blog Tour for The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker makes a stop here. Here is the complete list of eight stops.

There is still time to enter the contest for a complete set (6 in all) of the Retrievers series from Laura Anne Gilman in my Cosa Nostradamus Showcase and Giveaway. Open until April 30. This is a fabulous read and one of my favourite UF series. Something a little different. I'll be posting my review of Hard Magic, the first book in the Retrievers spin-off series later this week.

Remember to check my Author Events and Interviews schedule posted on my left sidebar for the most recent updates.

I've recently finished writing the fourth military paranormal (with zombies!) story for Kensington Brava - a novel titled A DARKER SHADE OF DEAD, which will be out in November and is already available for pre-order on Amazon. Before that, though, a novella in the series will be included in THE BEAST WITHIN, a Halloween Brava anthology anchored by Erin McCarthy. My story in the anthology, which will be out in September is called "Smoke on the Water."

Shade by Jeri Smith Ready - Book Trailer

The next Dirk & Steele book, set for release on November 30th of this year, has a new title: IN THE DARK OF DREAMS. Here’s the official cover description:

She could never forget the boy with the ice blue eyes…

She was only twelve when she saw the silver boy on the beach, but Jenny has never stopped dreaming about him. Now she is grown, a marine biologist charting her own course in the family business—a corporation that covertly crosses the boundaries of science into realms of the unknown…and the incredible.

And now he has found her again, her silver boy grown into a man: Perrin, powerful and masculine, and so much more than human—leaving Jenny weak with desire and aching for his touch.

But with their reunion comes mortal danger—from malevolent forces who would alter the world to suit their own dark ends. For Perrin and Jenny—and all living creatures— their only hope for preventing the unthinkable lies in a mysterious empire far beneath the sea—and in the power of their dreams.

Richelle Mead had a film crew from Kensignton Books follow her around Seattle talking about the succubus books. It can also be viewed over here.

From Locus Magazine - Writer, editor, and publisher George H. Scithers, 80, died April 19, 2010 after suffering a massive heart attack on April 17. George was founding editor of Asimov's SF Magazine. Additional coverage by Paula Guran and Tor.

Dragonfire series lovers will be interested to hear that Deborah Cook has written a novella featuring the Dragon's Teeth Warriors there will be out in July.

Suzanne McLeod posted the blurb for her fourth Spellcrackers novel, The Shifting Price of Prey this week -

Genny's life has never been busier: the summer solstice is approaching, magic is going haywire, Spellcrackers.com is under inexperienced new management, and London is hosting this year's Carnival Fantastique. Then a unicorn is found horribly mutilated in Regent's Park, garden fairies start dying out of season, and an eminent wildlife activist and her young son are snatched from a Conservation Conference. Searching for answers takes Genny and her friends, Tavish the kelpie and the super-sexy vampire Malik al-Khan, deep into magical London to the decadent and dangerous Forum Mirabilis, the secret, bloody heart of the Carnival Fantastique. And it's not long before Genny and her friends are under attack from a millennium-old adversary as they fight to save both the victims and themselves...

As part of their 30th birthday bash Tor books his having a box of books giveaway. Here are some of the fdetails but check out the Tor post for the complete scoop.

So that you may better get to know our little social sphere, the three lucky winners of this giveaway will receive a grab-box of books from the Tor offices. Winners should let us know their general likes and dislikes (only books with bare-chested men on the cover; no spaceships; only spaceships; looking for books for a twelve-year-old, etc) and we’ll put together a fun selection.

The Rules: All you have to to do be entered is comment on this post—once; duplicates won’t count—by noon EST on Wednesday, April 28th. Winners will be chosen randomly. Please check your email on Wednesday or Thursday; if I don’t hear back from you in 24 hours, another winner will be chosen.

The rumoured American remake of Torchwood was quashed this week when Fox officially announced it would not be proceeed with the project. Probably best for all concerned.

And speaking of Doctor Who related things, SF Signal posted this two-part spoof of Doctor Who featuring Rowan Atkinson (The Doctor), Jonathan Pryce (The Master) and more big names.

PROMOTIONS:

Alyxandra Harvey (Hearts at Stake) advises that the Turning Pages Literary Festival is being held May 15 in Kitchener, Ontario with a host of YA authors including Kelley Armstrong, Lesley Livingston, R.J. Anderson and Alyxandra. For all the details, click the graphic.

Let’s Talk Fantasy, Romance, and a Love for the Paranormal
Author Leanna Renee Hieber will be at Phoenix Comicon in May 2010

April 13, 2010, Phoenix, AZ: Award winning and best selling author, actress, and playwright Leanna Renee Hieber will be at Phoenix Comicon to discuss writing for the young adult market and life as an author. Leanna Renee Hieber will talk about her latest addition of the Strangely Beautiful saga that hit the shelves this month, The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker.
“If you love fantasy, this is a woman you have got to talk to!” said Convention Center Director Matt Solberg.

Hieber splashed onto the fantasy fiction scene with her novella Dark Nest, which won the 2009 Prism Award for excellence in Futuristic, Fantasy, and Paranormal Romance. Her critically acclaimed debut novel, The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker is the first in her Strangely Beautiful series of ghostly, Gothic Victorian Fantasy novels that landed on Barnes & Noble’s mass market and overall Bestseller List. The next novella in the series is set to release in October of this year.

Phoenix Comicon is the signature pop culture event of the southwest, presenting guests and programming for hobbyists and fans by attracting the top segments of the comics, anime, sci-fi, film, TV, and gaming industries. Entering its ninth year, Phoenix Comicon is expected to draw over 10,000+ attendees to its May 27-30, 2010 convention held at the Phoenix Convention Center and Hyatt Regency located in downtown Phoenix.

Rebecaa at Dirty Sexy Books and Abigail at All Things Urban Fantasy jointly put together a two-part series on Books That Blur the Line in the UF/PNR genres. You can find Part 1 here and Part 2 here. Some interesting choices and insights.

William Shatner at the the helm of the Governor Generals Office of Canada? Check out what SciFi Wire has to say.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

It is my pleasure to introduce Jessica Lee whose second book Dark Desires at Midnight was released at the beginning of the month. Jessica writes erotic paranormal romance (with vampires) guaranteed to spice up your reading (she has even provided a sizzling excerpt for you).

Jessica and I had a chat and you can read our interview below. Jessica will be dropping by to respond to any questions you may have. She has also generously offered an Amazon eGift Card and a free ecopy of her new book as a giveaway (details at the end of the post).

If you'd like a taste and preview of Dark Desires at Midnight, please check out the Excerpt posted following the interview.

Please welcome Jessica Lee!

SFG: Dark Desires at Midnight is the second book in your Warriors of the Enclave series. Can you give us an overview of the series and tell us what we might expect from the newest book?

The series begins with book one, Desire to Die For, which is Kenric and Emily's story. Kenric is an over 300 year old vampire who has been stalked by an ancient female vampire for 200 years. He's put together a team of vampires he calls, the Enclave, to defend humanity against the blood thirsty murderers of their kind known as DEADs. Kenric is a master vampire, and only a few male vampires possess the mental abilities to become a master. Mentally, he's more powerful, faster, and can take multiple alternate forms, which is the exact reason our villainess from book one wants him all to herself.

Book two brings us Arran and Gabrielle's story and picks up right where Desire to Die For closes.

SFG: The romance in paranormal romance is often very hot. You label yourself as an erotic paranormal romance writer. Is there a dividing line between romance and erotic romance and how do you determine it?

I believe so. In my opinion, for a romance to be considered erotic, sex needs to be an integral part of the story. It should occur frequently and be quite graphic but not for gratuitous reasons, meaning it should move the couple's relationship forward and not be sex just to fill up the pages.

SFG: Why did you decide to use vampires from among the large array of supernatural creatures? What do you find special about vampires?

I think it's because I've always loved vampire movies and have never failed to root for Dracula to escape with his queen. LOL I'm a sucker for the dark, sexy, tortured soul of the alpha male. And vampires possess all of the above. Why vampires? Oh man, it's all that biting of the neck and how sex is so intricately tied to their basic nature. Very provocative creatures.

SFG: Do you see your reading audience as mostly consisting of women? Do you consider male readers when you are creating your stories?

Mostly women, but because the male protagonists in my series are so alpha in nature, I wouldn't be surprised if the male reader enjoyed them as well.

SFG: What do you enjoy the most about the writing process? What do you find the most difficult?

I really enjoy the quiet time that I get to spend at home writing. Don't get me wrong, I love people, but I'm not a huge social butterfly who loves crowds. So getting the opportunity to be at home and write is a dream come true.

Writing is a very demanding job. And if you want writing to become your career, there's not much time off. To be successful, you must be prolific. So what once was your hobby, and what once took you years to create, suddenly becomes something that you must produce in a few months. That's not always fun. But I wouldn't trade my new found career for anything.

SFG: What other projects do you have on the go that you can tell us about?

Currently, I'm working on book three of the Enclave series and another project that I'm hoping Loose Id would like to pick up in the next couple of months. So stayed tuned and fingers crossed, there may be something out there soon that's a little different than you'd expect from Jessica Lee. LOL

SFG: If you could have lunch with any author, living or dead, who would it be and why?

Why, great question. Hmm... Oh man, I think it's a tie between Karen Marie Moning and JR Ward. Both are amazing authors, and I would love to just sit back and soak up whatever they'd be willing to share about their writing process and knowledge of the craft.

SFG: What do you like to read for pleasure? What is the last book you read and what is the book you are most eagerly anticipating?

Right now I have Lora Leigh's Bengal's Mate in my purse. Love her Breed series and can't wait to read the next installment, but I have to finish this one first.

SFG: How do you feel about vampires on the big and little screen such as the Twilight movies, Vampire Diaries and True Blood? Is there a vampire story you would like to see made into a TV series or film?

Love them! I'm a huge True Blood fan, and I can't wait for the next season. I think it's great that there are so many out there who love vampires just as much as I do.

I haven't seen any of the Vampire Diaries yet, but I've been enjoying the Twilight movies. I have to confess, though, I haven't read her series. But the movies are great!

SFG: Where can people find you on the Internet and how can they purchase your books?

Thanks, Doug! I appreciate your hospitality and the chance to stop by your fantastic site. I've had a blast!

Book Description: Arran MacLain is a vampire on a suicide mission, driven to kill his former partner who betrayed him and the Enclave they served. But two things stand in his way: Gabrielle, the human female who holds his heart, and the past that won’t let him go. If only death was enough to cleanse his soul.

Gabrielle Steven’s sister is missing. Her hunt for clues brings her face to face with the one vampire she can’t forget. Their missions combine and thrust them into the heart of evil. Will their passion be enough to overcome the pain from their past, or will their dark desires destroy them both?

EXCERPT

Arran rolled his Ninja into the parking lot beside Gabrielle’s car and killed the engine. She’d taken the newsflash about Markus and Marguerite pretty much like he’d expected. She’d mumbled an oath of determination right before she’d kicked him out of the car. Gabrielle wasn’t a member of the Enclave in name only. It didn’t matter that she didn’t work patrol. Gabrielle was as much a warrior as any of the males. Life hadn’t dealt her any favors. And she wasn’t one to lie down and let it bulldoze over her. She stood and fought for every inch of ground gained.He waited for her to get out of the car, then removed his helmet.“You didn’t need to follow me home,” she said over her shoulder, heading for the front door of her sister’s townhouse. He was surprised when she’d led him here instead of a hotel. The place must have belonged to her sister. He palmed his keys, slid off his bike, and shoved the keys in his pocket.“I wasn’t going to let you leave alone after the info I just dumped on you,” he said as he came up behind her while she unlocked the door. “I wanted to make sure you got home safe. And I wanted to be sure you actually went home.”“Oh my God, you can be such an ass sometimes.” Her back was to him, but Arran could almost hear her eyes roll with that statement. She was right. He was an ass. But while he was here, he would be taking care of hers.Gabrielle flipped on the lights, and he followed her inside. The heels of her boots clicked on the hardwood floor of the foyer, echoing in the open stairwell of the two-story apartment. She couldn’t have been in town long, but the air in the place already carried her scent. He pulled in another slow, deep breath through his nostrils. His heart rate quickened. Honeysuckle. Arran wanted to smile but repressed the grin. Ironic that such a delicate and sweet fragrance emanated from the hellcat with whom he’d just been reacquainted.Her keys clinked as she dropped them in a bowl on a table near the staircase. Arran’s gaze devoured her provocative profile. He’d never seen her dressed like she was tonight. Living with five male vampires within the Enclave walls, she usually dressed a bit more conservatively. Not matronly, but definitely not this revealing. A short black leather skirt barely covered the lush curves of her ass, and a shirt that couldn’t have been more than a decked-out bra did its best to contain her full breasts. Shiny black leather boots wrapped her legs, highlighting the toned sweep of her calves. This couldn’t happen again. Arran slowly shook his head. He would end up killing someone if she dressed like this again.She turned her head to the side, facing him. “I don’t need a babysitter. I’m more than capable of taking care of myself.” She shifted and faced him head-on. “You’ve been gone a long time, Arran. Things have changed. I’ve changed.”“Maybe so. But you’re not taking on that colony alone. I can’t believe Logan let you come here without him.” Gabrielle turned her back, rearranging her purse on the table. Shit. He recognized the body language. “You didn’t tell him, did you?” Arran closed the distance between them.“No. I didn’t need him here.” Gabrielle looked up, fierce determination written on her face. “I can handle this. Alex needed me. And I’m going to be there for her.” She shifted to face him again, leaning her hip against the table. “I’m smart enough to know if -- and when -- I need help.”Arran closed in, crowding her personal space, wanting a reaction. Aching for it, actually. Gabrielle straightened and took one step back but stopped and lifted her chin, refusing to cower and give him the reaction he itched for. She caught on quick.“You think you have it all handled, lass?”“Yeah, I do.”“You got it all under control?”The amber color of her irises had grown near molten. He allowed a small smile to pull at the corner of his mouth, loving the way she got all hot and bothered when he pushed her.“Yes. I do.” The words had barely left her lips when she attacked, one leg coming out to catch the back of his ankle. Caught off guard, he stumbled.Before he could regain his balance, she had his wrist locked in her grip. Swinging his arm up, she spun underneath, twisted, and wrenched his arm up the middle of his back, then shoved him face-first into the dank-smelling wall.Well, damn. Not bad. “You’ve been training,” he mumbled against the Sheetrock.“A little.” She sounded quite proud of herself. She was good. He’d give her that. But her heavy breathing told him it was all she could do to contain him, and he hadn’t even come close to tapping into his full abilities. She’d caught him by surprise, but she was human, a woman, and no match for a mature vampire. Especially in a multiple attack.With a burst of speed, Arran pushed back, forcing Gabrielle to release him instead of falling on her rear. He whirled, catching her before she hit the floor. In less than a second, their positions reversed. Except this time, he’d pinned her back against the wall, her hands imprisoned by his, over her head.The position pushed her full breasts up, almost spilling them from her top. Nice. He lifted his gaze, prepared for a hard glare. If her eyes were molten earlier, they were near boiling now. He couldn’t have stopped the next words that spilled from his lips if he’d tried.“I win.”“You ass!” She squirmed and bucked against him like a feral cat. Instead of gaining her freedom, though, each maneuver jammed her tighter into his hold. Her every inhale shoved her breasts into his chest. Heat radiated off her body, threatening to scramble his brain. Before he knew he’d even moved, his lips hovered over hers. What made him stop, God only knew. Maybe it was the way she’d suddenly grown still? Or maybe it was the moment she’d parted her lips, releasing warm, peppermint-scented bursts of air that seduced his mind. So damn enticing. All he had to do was lean in one more inch, and he’d --Fire shot up his arm. “Son of a…” Releasing her, he jumped back and flung his gaze to the offending limb. Blood.A thin line of crimson blossomed along the outside of his bicep. She’d played him. Purposefully distracted him, so she could pull her hand free and reach for a blade that must have been hidden under her skirt and against her thigh. The little minx.He swiveled his head back in Gabrielle’s direction. Air punched from his lungs. Christ. Blood surged to his cock. The overwhelming urge to stroke the rock-hard length at the sight of her was short-circuiting his brain. Gabrielle stood, one boot in front of the other, palming a short dagger. She was ready to fight.He was ready to fuck.Arran rocked from one foot to the other, searching within for the strength not to take what was his. Mentally, he shook his head. No. She’s not yours, asshole. But damn if his cock had the sense to listen.“I know you weren’t about to kiss me, warrior. Were you?” She raised a delicate brow and tilted her head. “Because last I heard, my kiss was ‘forgettable.’”Ouch. He’d had a feeling if he ever saw her again, that asinine comment would come back to bite him in the ass.“Give me the blade, Gabrielle.”“This?” She twirled the dagger, then palmed the hilt and held it up for display. “You want it?” A devious smile lit her face. With her other hand, she beckoned him with her fingers. “Come and take it.”Bad, bad challenge, kitten. A tremor started in his gut and worked its way up, until it was a buzz inside his brain. Every cell in his body wanted to take.Mark.Claim.A gasp of air in his ear was the only indicator that he’d grabbed her. He didn’t remember the trip. Arran lifted her feet from the floor, whirled, and gently laid her on the stairs, pressing his hips, his chest into hers. He had to get his body next to hers. Everywhere. The dagger fell from her hand, rolling and thumping its way down the steps, each tumble a hollow thud.The loud percussions bypassed the noise inside his head and brought him to a dead halt. He lay with his hips between her legs, his groin pressed to hers. His mouth suspended above her lips. He dropped his gaze to her mouth. God, how he loved the delicate line of her lips, a perfect bow. So full and pink. Her tongue darted out and moistened the lower one. He couldn’t stifle the groan that rolled from the back of his throat.He dragged his gaze back to her eyes. Passion mixed with doubt and fear stared back at him. “I’m sorry.” The whispered words tumbled from his heart.She blinked, then swallowed. “Why?”“For hurting you.”Her eyelids shuttered, and her breath hitched. Did she believe him? Was an apology enough for what he’d done? He’d walked away, leaving her to think he’d never wanted her, when the truth was, he wanted her more than his next breath. Sorry sounded so insignificant, compared to how much damage he’d done to her heart.“Gabrielle.” Long, dark eyelashes lifted. Beautiful, near gold eyes shimmered with unshed tears. Please don’t cry. If only he had the power to bring her tears of joy. Instead of the pain he was so damn good at. He wanted to kiss the hurt away. “Remind me.”Her lips parted first in silence before she asked, “Of what?”Arran released her arms and cupped her face with his palms. He caressed her lips with his gaze before lifting it back to hers. “What I walked away from.”

GIVEAWAY GUIDELINES:

Jessica is offering a $10 Amazon e-gift card and an e-book copy of Dark Desires at Midnight to one lucky commenter.

To enter, Jessica would love to hear about your favorite paranormal creature of the night.

Open to US and Canada.

Leave a way to notify you if you should win.

Blog, tweet, post on Facebook or other social network sites for an extra entry. Leave a comment here to let me know.